Court cases stemming from several deadly incidents in and around Central Kentucky neared their ends in June as defendants received their prison sentences.

These developments include a Lexington mother sentenced for the fatal stabbing death of her two children, as well as a man sentenced to prison after he was convicted of murdering a woman in 2020.

Here are updates on court cases previously covered by the Herald-Leader.

Lexington mother sentenced to prison after killing her two kids

A Lexington mother was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday on amended charges for fatally stabbing her two children.

Nikki James, 45, was charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of her children, who were 5 and 13 years old, Lexington police said previously.

On June 10, she pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree manslaughter.

Fayette Circuit Judge Kimberly Bunnell sentenced James to 10 years for each count, to run consecutive to the other, according to court documents.

The children were stabbed to death at their Rogers Road apartment, according to court testimony in the case.

James originally faced life in prison for the murder charges. Potter said two psychiatrists found James to be experiencing psychosis at the time of the crimes.

James’ attorney, Bonnie Potter, said her client hopes that bringing light to her mental illness will encourage other women to seek help early on.

James was arrested in May 2022 after police responded to her apartment building to find her covered in blood, according to previous court testimony. Her children, Skyler and Deon, were inside the apartment with multiple stab wounds.

They were pronounced dead by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office after being transported to a hospital, police and the coroner said.

Joshua Crowe, a detective with the Lexington Police Department, testified previously that James’ neighbors called the police after hearing her say “kill yourself and kill the kids,” and seeing her covered in blood banging on their doors.

Convicted murderer sentenced to life in prison

A a man convicted of killing a Lexington woman after he suffocated her and stuffed her body in the closet, was sentenced to life in prison.

William “Bill” Parker Brown, 54, was charged with the murder of Ava Creech in 2020. In May, Brown was found guilty of murder, receiving stolen property and being a felon in possession of a handgun.

Prosecutors said Creech, 62, died September 11, 2020, but her body wasn’t found by police until October 2 in her apartment closet.

Creech had been bound with duct tape and had paper towels shoved down her throat. Her cause of death was ruled as asphyxiation and blunt force trauma.

He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the murder charge.

His remaining charges were enhanced due to his persistent felony offender status, according to court documents.